Prenatal tolbutamide treatment alters plasma glucose and insulin concentrations and negatively affects the postnatal performance of chickens

To examine the relationship of insulin and glucose, broiler embryos were subjected to acute or prolonged hypoglycemia during the late embryonic phase by respectively injecting once (at embryonic day (ED) 16 or 17), or on three consecutive days (ED 16, 17 and 18) with tolbutamide (80 μg/g embryo weight), a substance that stimulates insulin secretion from the pancreas. After one tolbutamide injection, a prolonged (32 h) decrease of plasma glucose and a profound acute increase in plasma insulin were observed.

Source: Domestic Animal Endocrinology - January 27, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Authors: L. Franssens, J. Lesuisse, Y. Wang, B. De Ketelaere, E. Willems, A. Koppenol, X. Guo, J. Buyse, E. Decuypere, N. Everaert Source Type: research